Shopping On This Website Helps Fund Girls' Education Around The World

Shopping no longer has to be a guilty pleasure.

Most of us love buying clothes. It feels great to purchase garments that give us a new sense of confidence, and to hear all the compliments that follow. But shopping can oftentimes feel like a guilty pleasure.

Here to take away the guilt and provide all the pleasure of a good shopping experience is Schoola, launched in 2013 by Stacey Boyd. Schoola is a clothing drive and online sale where people can donate gently used garments that shoppers can buy, with 40 percent of their purchases going toward funding schools across America. According to Schoola's website, over 30,000 schools have been served, with the top-earning ones raising over $50,000 each, and kids can even track their school's fundraising progress on their school's page.

In 2015, Schoola's mission became global when they partnered with Malala Fund, a nonprofit organization that aims to help girls attend school by "removing barriers to a safe, quality education in the most vulnerable communities in the world."

To contribute to this mission, name brands such as Athleta, ModCloth, Tommy Hilfiger, Gymboree, and Tea Collection have donated clothes to Schoola that consumers can buy for up to 70 percent off, with 40 percent of their purchases going toward the Malala Fund.

In an email to A Plus, CEO/President Ann Noder of Pitch Public Relations noted the Malala Fund is especially important to Schoola and brands like Athleta as millions of families around the world do not have the means to send their girls to school. These would-be female students are prevented from attending class for a range of reasons, including harassment and violence.

"Malala embodies the perseverance, grace, and fortitude that is required to overcome these challenges, and I for one, stand #withMalala on the simple assertion that every girl deserves access to a safe and quality education," said Boyd.

Through the simple act of buying clothes, consumers like you have helped raise over $100,000 for the Malala Fund already. Just think, by purchasing Athleta running tights, sweatshirts, or sweaters through Schoola, you could help provide a pair of eyeglasses for a young girl all the way across the world and get some deeply discounted stylish workout gear in the process.

You can buy some Gymboree skirts or shorts for your kids and help fund learning clubs in Zaria and Nigeria. On Schoola's website, it states ModCloth has donated hundreds of dresses, from formal to casual, all in support of helping school-aged girls have access to schooling. "So far, two schools have been built in Malala's name in Lebanon to meet the needs of Syrian refugees.

So, next time you want to go on a shopping spree, you know where to visit for a totally guilt-free shopping experience — Schoola, "an amazing mash-up of community building, upcycling and commerce."

To learn more about Schoola, how it works, and the other educational programs it helps fund in America and around the world, watch the video below: